2 more Korean vessels clear Strait of Hormuz

Universal Winner, a large-scale crude carrier operated by South Korean shipper HMM, approaches a port in the southeastern city of Ulsan, June 10, after clearing the Strait of Hormuz as one of the first two Korean ships to do so. Yonhap

Two additional Korean vessels have cleared the Strait of Hormuz after being stranded there for months amid the conflict in the Middle East, the oceans ministry said Saturday.

"Two vessels operated by Korean shipping companies, which had been waiting inside the Strait of Hormuz, are sailing normally after passing through the strait," a ministry official said.

They were among the 26 Korea-related vessels that had been stranded in the strait after Iran blocked shipping routes in the waterway in late February amid its conflict with the United States and Israel.

The first two of them cleared the strait during the conflict with Iranian assistance, while the remaining vessels were leaving the waterway one by one after the U.S. and Iran signed a ceasefire deal earlier this month.

The latest passage left three Korea-related vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, including the HMM Namu, which sustained damage in Iranian-linked missile attacks and is undergoing repairs at a port in Dubai.

Four Korean crew members were aboard the two vessels that recently cleared the strait, but neither vessel is bound for Korea.

A total of 43 Korea crew members are still stranded in the strait, including those aboard Korean vessels and foreign-flagged ships, according to the ministry.

The ministry said it had conducted real-time monitoring and provided diplomatic and navigation assistance, together with the foreign ministry, to help the ships safely pass through the waterway.